The New Girl
by Claire O'Donnell
Summary: Gabriella moves to a new town and starts a new school. There she meets Edward Cullen and is memerised by him. But he belongs to someone else. Can she stop herself falling in love with as they grow closer? Everyone is human.


I sighed as I closed the car door behind me. I hated starting new things.

I placed my bag on the passenger side and stared out the car window at my new bedroom window. I hated those curtains.

I made a mental note to go shopping for new curtains; maybe I could convince my Dad to re-decorate the whole room. I mean it hadn't been done since I was 13 and it was in desperate need for a makeover. Staring at the house, I realised it wasn't just my room that needed a make-over.

Sighing again, I started up the engine of my car and made my way to an unfamiliar place where I would have to stay for the next two years.

I pulled up in the car park and re-read the sign in my rear view mirror one last time… "Blake High School."

Well that's what my Dad told me it was called so if anyone was to blame it was him.

I felt so nervous, a strange rumbling starting up in my stomach. I thought about starting at this strange place, meeting new people, learning new subjects and being the new girl. It was enough to make me turn back and just keep on driving. I knew where I would head.

I checked my make up in the compact mirror I kept in the glove compartment of my car and then I gave my long dark hair one last brush.

Placing the brush and the mirror into my handbag, I gave into my desire to drive away and got out the car.

Luckily there was a big sign pointing to reception, which meant I didn't have to embarrassingly ask someone where it was.

I could, however, feel everyone's eyes on me. Like I was strange, like I was some weirdo. This made me sub-consciously wipe my nose with the back of my hand, you know just in case but I am pretty sure it just made me look more of a weirdo.

I opened the front door and saw a little old grey haired lady sitting on the front desk. She smiled at me, which helped me relax I must be honest.

"Hi, I'm Gabriella Montez. It's my first day here." I told her.

She smiled at me again.

"Yeah, I've got your weekly planner here, your diary and your locker key." She smiled has she handed me a piece of paper, a hardback diary and the smallest key ever. The smiling was now starting to freak me out.

"I don't mean to be rude, but how can I find my locker?" Hope that didn't come across rude, but she smiled yet again.

"The headmistress has signed you up to a buddy, a young girl who is in all the same classes as you and she will help you find your way around." The old lady said.

I signed relived, that meant there was no chance of me getting lost.

"Ah here she is." The old lady said.

I turned to see a small, mousey brown hair girl smiling at me.

Note to self- Don't wear heels when round this girl. She was easily 5ft to my 5ft 8ins frame. Wish I had packed some trainers now.

"Hi my name is Jessica Powell." She told me, rather enthusiastically.

I smiled. "Hey I'm Gabriella Montez."

Wonder how many times I am going to say that today.

"What number is your locker?" She looked at the tiny key in my hand. "Oh you're not far from me, come on I'll show you."

So I followed the ridiculously small girl like a sheep.

God I hate starting new things.

To be fair to Jessica though, she was very pleasant and helpful.

Telling me about each classroom, that I know for fact I would never step foot in.

She did show me the sixth form common room, only a quick 10 second look in though in case we missed class, and I knew I would be spending quite a bit of time in there.

She didn't show me the library though, which was a room I did want to know about but I don't think showing up for my first lesson late would have been a good start to make.

The first lesson I had was Media Studies. Jessica led me to the classroom which was packed with TV sets, cameras and Lighting equipment. Not the media I had in mind.

I sat with Jessica and was happy that she had shut up for five minutes.

The teacher stood in front of us and introduced himself as Mr. Swanson. He seemed quite young and I hoped he wasn't going to be a strict teacher.

Knowing that this was everyone else's first day in sixth form was a bit more relaxing but at least they knew the school, I didn't have that advantage.

Mr. Swanson started the class by asking everyone their career ambitions. He started with a tall, ginger girl at the front of the class. Her ambition was to be a TV producer.

He then asked the blonde haired boy in front of me, who told us his ambition was to be a new reporter or a journalist.

"Erm… what about the dark hair girl behind you?" Mr. Swanson said.

I was to busy twiddling a pen in my hand when Jessica nudged me.

Wait me?!

I slowly stood up.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" He asked.

"Gabriella Montez." I answered, even though he called me sweetheart!

"You new here?"

I sighed; well he has never seen me here before put two and two together mate.

"Yeah, just moved here." I answered, politely.

He nodded "And what are your career ambitions?"

"I want to be a journalist." I told him. This was half the truth.

He seemed satisfied with it though, and motioned me to sit down.

Jessica smiled at me politely and I smiled back.

Finally it was lunch time, after two hours of Mr. Swanson I wondered if I should take another career direction.

I opened my sandwich box and took in the smell of the ham sandwich I had made myself.

Jessica came and sat next to me but we was also joined by a black haired girl, the blonde lad that sat in front of us in media, a dark skinned lad and a blonde haired girl.

I smiled at them all politely, the blonde boy's smile was a bit over the top but I smiled back nonetheless.

"This is Angela. Jessica said, pointing at the black haired girl. Angela had intensely black eyes, almost gothic looking. Actually even her clothes and make up were black. I guess she is a fan of black. Wonder if her hair is natural.

"That's Louise." Jessica was pointing at the blonde haired girl this time. She has lots of freckles which I was pleased to see she didn't cover with make up. She had green eyes and she was quite a chubby girl but in no means ugly.

"That's Darren." This time the dark skinned lad smiled at me. He had perfect straight white teeth, and a head full of soft looking black hair. His brown eyes were gorgeous.

"And that's Mike." Mike smiled at me. His blonde hair was over styled and his designer clothes made him seem a big try hard. But he did have nice blue eyes and I could easily tell his smile was infectious.

"I'm Gabriella Montez." I smiled at them all, unwrapping my ham sandwich that I felt like I had been waiting hours for.

"What made you move here?" Darren asked.

I had just took a mouthful of my sandwich and now felt I had to rush it to answer him. Not that I even wanted to tell him.

"Long and boring story." I lied, still with half a mouth full.

He nodded and looked at his food.

"So you took all the same subjects as Jessica and you wanna be a journalist?" Louise asked.

I swallowed the rest of my sandwich and look at Louise.

"Pretty much, I haven't 100% decided yet though." I lied, again.

Jessica smiled at me.

"You should know about the other sixth formers." She told me.

All of them leaned in, and I figured I had to follow as she would be whispering.

"Those by the door, they're the nerds. The ones who do maths and science, they are useful sometimes with homework." She giggled.

I looked over. To be honest by looking at them, it didn't take a genius to work out these were the maths geeks.

"Those girls over there, we call them the make up crew. They think they're popular but they're not so just ignore them if they tell you they are."

I looked over at a table with 6, blonde girls. Very stereotypical, with their pink everything and lip gloss. They were giggling about something.

"And those sitting on the table furthest away, they ARE the popular crew and you don't speak to them unless they speak to you. Blair is the most popular girl in school."

I watched as the pretty brunette girl with the headband, shook her head with laughter at something the equally as pretty blonde girl had just said to her.

"Her best friend is Stacey and Blair's boyfriend, Edward, is the one just sitting next to her. He is the most popular boy in school, it's destiny they are suppose to be together."

Everyone leant away as Jessica had finished, but I couldn't take my eyes off the boy who had just sat at the "popular" table. He was breath taking. Messy brown hair, which you could tell he had just left it like that when he had woken up this morning, tall, muscular, a jaw line that was just wow and bright topaz eyes that I could see even with the distance that we sat apart.

He looked up at me and I snapped my eyes back to my food.

I needed to catch my breath.

Jessica was right; it did seem destiny that the two most popular people in school end up together. There was something memorising about Edward though.

I took a slow bite of my sandwich as the table went on about some conversation that I wasn't paying attention to. My thoughts were else where.

I finally finished my sandwich and placed my lunchbox back in my bag.

"I am going to go and have a wander round." I announced to them, getting up from the table.

Mike shot up.

"I can give you a tour if you want." He said.

I smiled but shook my head.

"I am going to head to English early but thanks."

He sat down as I made my way out the canteen.

Luckily I had remembered where Jessica had pointed out the English class and made my way there. I had to get away from the temptation of drooling over Edward and looking like a complete fool.

I opened the classroom door and was shocked to see somebody already in the room.

As he looked up at me and smiled, I felt my heart skip a beat.

Oh God it was him.

"Hey you must be Gabriella Montez." He smiled and waved me at the seat next to him.

I quietly closed the door behind me and made my way over to him.

At least I didn't have to repeat my name to him.

I placed my bag on the floor and tucked my hair behind my ears as I looked at him.

God my mouth had gone dry. When did he leave the canteen, I hadn't notice him leave.

"I'm Edward Cullen." He smiled at me.

Something about his smile was warm and inviting and I started to loosen up a bit more.

"So what's brings you to this dump of a school?" He asked me.

I laughed quietly. "It's a long and boring story."

"We got 20 minutes till lesson starts." He said, looking up at the clock above the whiteboard.

I was a bit taken back, but for once I wanted to tell someone the truth.

"My mum got re-married to this young sporty footballer who just got signed for Blackpool and she doesn't want her 17 year old daughter clinging on to her anymore so I came and moved with my Dad." I told him.

He nodded his head.

"You don't like her new husband?" He asked me.

"No, nothing like that. He is lovely but they don't live the same lifestyle they use to." I smiled at him.

He smiled and looked into his hands.

"It's not all that bad here. Once you get use to it. What you taking at sixth form?"

He certainly had a lot of questions, but as I looked into his topaz eyes I couldn't stop myself from answering.

"English, Media and business." I told him. "I want to be a fashion journalist. I know you now probably think I'm vain and easily pleased but I have a passion for fashion and journalism so I figured why not mix the two together."

That was the first time I had told anyone that since starting, his warmth made me tell him. Damn him!

"I didn't think that." He chuckled.

"What about you?" I asked him.

"English, business and music. I want to be a music producer but I couldn't get on the college course I wanted with out A-Levels and without going on that college course I can't get in the Uni I want."

I looked at him.

"Now who's stupid?" He smiled.

I smiled back at him.

"It means you're dedicated, and I think that's a good thing." I told him.

He chuckled again. "My girlfriend thinks I am here for her, so keep that college speech between us, yeah?"

I nodded. He trusted me, God I wanted to have him.

Slowly other people started to enter the class, and the look on Jessica's face when she was me sitting next to Edward was a picture.

"You want me to move?" I asked him.

"Nah." He said, grabbing my wrist, making my heart skip a beat again. "If you sit with me, we get to work together."

I slowly sat back down, wishing the butterflies in my stomach would settle down.

Blair didn't look to happy as she walked in though, and if looks could kill I would definitely be six feet under.

A middle-aged man stood in front of the class and introduced himself as Mr Sutcliffe.

He told us all about the different subjects we would doing but for this first week he wanted us to pair up and write about our favourite books. He called it a get to know your classmates exercise even though, apart from me, everyone at least knew of each other.

As the hustle and bustle began of everyone getting to the library with whom they say next two, Edward grabbed my wrist again and yet again, those butterflies started.

"Hey honey." I turned to see Blair standing behind me.

She had quite a high pitched voice, which reminded me of my own deep voice enough to give Scarlett Johansson a run for her money.

Edward smiled at her.

"You going to the library?" She asked him.

"Aren't you working with Stacey?" He asked her.

"Don't you want to work with me?"

"Well, who is Stacey going to work with?"

What I want to know is, will either one of them answer a question?

Blair thought for a moment.

"You are so thoughtful to my friend. See you in the library." She wiggled her bum, annoyingly as she left the room.

Edward and I were on our own.

"We going the library then?" I said picking up my bag.

"We got double period right?"

Does this guy ever answer a question?

He pulled me closer to him and I could feel him breathing in my ear. It took all my might not to faint right at this very moment.

"Let's go into the town library."

I raised an eyebrow but followed him out the classroom anyway.

He led me to the car park and opened his shiny silver Volvo and motioned me to get inside.

It was indeed a very clean car.

He smiled at me as he revved the engine and we made our way out the school grounds.

The one thing I always loved about coming to visit my Dad was the library.

It was like one of those big old fashioned ones, that you don't see about so often.

Although I had not seen the school library yet, I felt I would be spending more time in this one.

Me and Edward sat at a table and got our pens and paper out at the ready.

"So come on then." He looked at me.

I must have looked at him confused because he chuckled once again.

"What's your favourite book?" He asked.

I sort of snapped back into life and remember that we had work to do. I could have very easily sat there and watched him for two hours straight.

"Don't laugh." I told him.

He shook his head.

Most people did laugh when I told them this.

"My favourite book is American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis." I looked at him and was surprised to see a confused look on his face.

"Isn't that a film with Christian Bale in it?" He asked.

This time, it was my turn to chuckle.

"Yes, that is based on the book." I looked into his topaz eyes and smiled.

He leant back in his chair.

"I've seen the film but not read the book." He said, staring at the ceiling.

"So come on, what's your favourite book?" I asked him, eagerly.

"Harry Potter." He said.

I raised an eyebrow.

Of all the books in the world, he picked Harry Potter.

He then started to chuckle.

"Just joking. I like Stephen King, think my favourite has got to be the Shining." He said, now leaning forward on the table.

I sighed, that was much better than Harry Potter.

"I've got an idea. We've got a week to finish this, why don't we read each other's favourite books today and tomorrow, then on Wednesday we can start writing up about it." He said, his eyes not leaving mine as he spoke.

I nodded, seemed like quite a good idea.

I, like him with mine, had only seen the film of his favourite book. To be honest, that scared me enough though but I was pleased that he seemed interested in reading mine.

We began our search for the books and I found the Shining quite easily. He was having trouble finding American Psycho though.

Eventually we found it, and he took the Shining out on his library card seeing as mine had expired like 5 years ago.

We began a slow walk back to his car.

"Is it as good as the film?" He said, examining the book.

He nearly walked into a woman he was that engrossed, I had to pull him out the way.

He smiled and put the book in his back pack.

"It's pretty much exactly like the film. Some characters names have changed and Christian Bale improvised the bit where he danced before Patrick Bateman killed Paul Allen."

Edward nodded.

I could see his was trying to picture the moment of the film in his head.

He snapped himself out of his thoughts.

"So are you thinking of University?" He asked me.

"Yeah, I am going to go to college first. Do this journalism course they have, which should then get me on the course I want to do at Birmingham Uni." I told him.

Telling him all this thoughts and feelings I had was like talking to an old friend. This had nothing to do with the fact he was good looking, he just had this… thing about him that I couldn't describe.

"I am going to Birmingham Uni." He smiled.

That made me heart flip, though I don't really know why.

"Blair wants to me to go to Manchester with her though." He sounded quite discontent as he said Blair's name. Maybe I was imagining it.

"How long you been together?" I couldn't stop myself from asking him.

"3 years, it's a weird relationship Gabriella. You wouldn't want to know." He told me.

But now he had said that I did want to know.

I stopped, and he stopped and looked at me.

"Look this is my first day here, and as nice as Jessica is, I feel a connection with you that I haven't felt with anyone else. I have told you things I haven't even told my own mother. Something you do makes me trust you and want to tell you those things because I know you won't tell anyone else and that you will have an honest opinion on me. I hope you feel the same about me."

I don't if it was because I wanted the gossip on him and Blair or if my head just wanted to tell him them things, but I couldn't stop myself.

I expected him to walk off, but he smiled and grabbed my hand which gave me the biggest rush all day.

"I've felt the same with you. I just thought you would think I was a freak if I told you and run a mile." He smiled.

I breathed a sigh of relief but he let go of my hand and carried on walking.

"Me and Blair… it's not like a relationship anymore. We are more like friends who act like a couple in public, how strange is that?" He shook his head and gave a little laugh as he said it.

I wan engrossed; it was like a live walking version of Heat magazine. I need to get a life.

I felt this question burning on the tip of my tongue, but asking it was rude. But like it had been all day around him, I couldn't stop myself.

"So like sex buddies?" I asked him.

He should have turned around and slapped me or something but he just chuckled again.

"No. Like friends who act like a couple in public, who kiss and hold hands round their friends but can't stand the site of each other when alone. Me and Blair haven't had sex for about 6 months now. I suppose for a while though, yeah you could call it sex buddies." He looked at me as he said it. "I know what you are thinking. Blair got what she wanted and I got what I wanted but it's not like that."

"I'm confused, why don't you split up then?" I asked him.

He looked at his feet.

"Routine I suppose. Blair has this reputation to uphold and just for the sake of it I go along with it." He said, not taking his eyes off his shoes.

I thought he might walk into someone again.

"But… you are in this relationship where you aren't really a couple, so you can't go out and meet other girls, but you're not technically in a relationship?" I was getting more confused by the second.

This time Edward stopped.

"Look, I know it's stupid and I know it pathetic but… well I haven't met a girl yet who has made me grow some balls and end it. I'm should grow some though." He laughed.

"Do you love her?"

He shook his head. "I thought I did at one point but no. I do have feelings for her. That I can't deny."

I nodded quietly.

"What about you? No boyfriend?" He asked me.

"Nope, been single for a very long time." I laughed, trying to make it sound like I wasn't bothered.

I thought I saw him smile to himself, but maybe I imagined it. Hoping that maybe he had.

We arrived at his car and I was bit reluctant to get in, my time with him on his own would then officially come to an end.

We drove back to school and made our way to the English class.

Halfway there we bumped into Blair, and it's a safe bet to say she didn't look happy.

"Where were you?" She demanded, hand on hip.

"Library." Edward answered so casually.

"No, no I think you will find I was in the library, you were not!" Her voice seemed to get higher and higher.

Was I allowed to escape or did I have to stay?

"I didn't say I was at the school library." Edward said.

"Oh right. Well thank you for inviting me." That was extremely sarcastic.

"You were with Stacey."

"And that makes it OK?"

"Look I was working Gabriella; I couldn't just ditch her and talk to you!"

"You didn't have a problem with that before Gabriella came."

That was my cue to leave. I literally ran into the class and sat in my seat.

Jessica came running over to me.

"You got to work with Edward!" She near enough screamed at me.

"Yeah he asked me to sit next to him." I said, honestly.

"Blair is going to go ape at you." Jessica said.

I bit down on my bottom lip. I now couldn't wait to go home.

Mr Sutcliffe entered the room and as I peeked out the door it looked as if Blair and Edward had gone to finish elsewhere.

I sighed; well talking to him was good while it lasted.

Jessica waved goodbye to me as she made her way over to her car.

I waved back and threw my handbag onto the passenger before closing the door behind.

As I grabbed my seatbelt, there was a loud thud on the window.

I jumped out of my skin as I look and saw Edward's topaz eyes starting at me.

I opened the window and resisted the urge to slap him for making me nearly shit myself.

"Just ignore Blair." He told me.

"I intend to." I said, clipping my seatbelt into place.

He nodded; he looked quite hurt at my sharp reply.

"I am not in a mood." I told him. "Just want to get home and read the Shining."

He smiled and nodded again.

"Yeah I got some crap book to read as well." He joked, well I hope.

I playfully slapped his arm, and told him goodbye.

He tapped the side of the car before saying goodbye as well.

I could see him watching me drive off as I pulled out the school gates.

Just for him, I would believe in love at first sight.

I placed my bag in the hallway and took in the smell of the spaghetti bolognaise that my Dad was cooking.

"Hey." He said, as I walked in the kitchen door.

"Hey Dad, that smells gorgeous." I told him.

He smiled quite proudly.

My Dad was never the greatest cook.

My Mum use to cook us all dinner… before she left my Dad.

I was only 3 when they broke up, my Mum moving me all the way to London which was a good few hundred miles away from Hednesford. I looked nothing like my Dad. Yeah I got my height from him, no doubt, but he was pale skinned with brown hair and a brown moustache. I also assumed I got my figure from him as he ate like horse and stayed so skinny (as did I, lucky me) and my Mum was not so skinny but by no means fat, even chubby. But I had olive skin and dark brown eyes exactly the same as my Mum, I also had her black hair.

"So how was your first day?" He asked.

"Well I am going again tomorrow if that's what you want to hear." I joked.

"Good, glad to hear it. You meet lots of people?" He asked.

God I was getting fed up of questions.

"Yeah. The two names I remember are Jessica Powell and Edward Cullen." I said it, hoping my Dad would know something.

He was a lawyer after all.

"Cullen?" He stopped stirring the food which didn't look like a good sign.

"You know the name?"

"Yeah I know the Cullen's. They're a good family actually. Very posh." He answered.

"Not the sort who should be talking to Martin Montez's daughter?"

"No, I never said that. It's just I thought Edward was one of these popular kids."

"He is but me and him got working together and he is actually quite sociable."

"Well I am not complaining about you making friend with Edward Cullen. They're a nice rich family." He smiled.

I smiled back at him.

"It's my first day Dad, don't start planning the wedding."

He laughed as I made my way to the living room.

Not that I myself would complain about THAT wedding.


End file.
